The Health sector in Samoa celebrated a milestone at the beginning of the week.

The 10th year anniversary of the Health Sector Reforms, which signaled the separation of the National Health Services (N.H.S.) and the Ministry of Health was a moment for the sector to reflect on the journey.

The anniversary celebration started with a parade on Beach Road. At the end of the parade, Reverend Auva’a Peseta conducted a thanksgiving service.

The celebration brought together the Ministry of Health, N.H.S., National Kidney Foundation and other stakeholders of the health sector. The separation of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Service took place on the 1st July 2006.

This separation of roles was the culmination of the realignment programme, which began in 1998, driven by the government’s Strategy for the Development of Samoa.

The passing of these two Acts demonstrated the governments’ commitment to ensuring safe practice in health care through the establishment of the Ministry of Health as separate from the services delivery arm of publicly funded services realized through the establishment of the National Health Service.

BEACH ROAD PARADE: Members of the Health sector during the parade on Beach Road to celebrate the milestone on Monday.

BEACH ROAD PARADE: Members of the Health sector during the parade on Beach Road to celebrate the milestone on Monday.

On March 2005, the National Kidney Foundation was established with a mission ‘to actively pursue the reduction of the incidence of Kidney Failure and Kidney related diseases, with sustainability in the provision of Quality Holistic Care for patients already with End Stage Renal Failure.’